At about 3:35 a.m. on Sunday, July 22nd, 56-year-old Ramon Lopez and 58-year-old Ricardo Zamora were struck and killed while working on a construction project for Caltrans on the 405 Freeway in Torrance. While traveling northbound in the lane closest to the carpool lane—the only two open at the time—the driver of a Ford Explorer rear-ended a Lexus SUV near Artesia Boulevard, the impact sending the vehicle into Lopez, Zamora, and another man working in the far right lane. They were pronounced dead at the scene, while the third man, whose name was not released, was transported to a hospital. Authorities arrested the drivers, Yocio Gomez, 23, and Stephen Caserta, 43, on suspicion of DUI.

“Drivers who fatally injure others while violating traffic safety laws will be held accountable for their actions,” explained California personal injury lawyer James Ballidis, “both by the state and by the families of the victims.”

The California Department of Transportation reports that from 1924 to 2011, 178 workers have been killed on the job, many in accidents caused by unsafe drivers. These employees are honored each year on Worker Memorial Day, when the agency places their names on a memorial plaque located in the lobby of its headquarters.

All of us at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer our condolences to the families of Ramon Lopez and Ricardo Zamora, the two men killed while working on the 405 Freeway. We would also like to wish a full recovery to the man who was injured.

Resources for accident victims and their families, such as books and articles on the process of pursuing an injury or a wrongful death claim against a negligent driver, are available to the public free of charge through our office.

If you would like to request one of these free resources, or to discuss a specific legal matter with a California personal injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.